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Illinois

* From NBC 5…

If you were a young, aspiring Chicago politician, looking for someone to model yourself after, who would you go to for advice? Barack Obama? Richard M. Daley? Michael Madigan? How about Roland Burris?

Next week, Burris is holding another session of his “Burris School for Politics,” a practical course in getting elected, from Jan. 8-10. As he told WBEZ last year, “you learn not political science, you learn politics.”

* The Question: Lessons that Roland Burris could teach his students about getting elected?

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:07 pm

Comments

Know your district. What special interest groups live in your district. In Illinois: go along to get along.

Comment by Steve Bartin Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:10 pm
Two words - “Big Tombstone”

Comment by Highland, Il Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:12 pm
Why go to anyone besides Madigan.

Comment by 1776 Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:17 pm
If you bide your time carefully, an appointment to that vacancy will be yours.

Comment by Ivory-billed Woodpecker Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:24 pm
That Burris can teach? Lay low. Don’t antagonize anybody. If you have a nice sounding name people will vote for you even if you don’t do anything.

What anybody else can teach students?

1. It helps to be born to the Berrios family. If not;

2. Raise a lot of money. Don’t count on others to do it for you. If you can raise a lot of money, most of your election issues will be solved.

Comment by Skeeter Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:31 pm
“Lessons that Roland Burris could teach his students about getting elected?”

Limestone engraving.

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:35 pm
Get close to the crazy ones, sometimes it pans out.

If it looks like you won’t have a legacy make your tombstone big enough to make your own.

Comment by Irish Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:38 pm
Roland Burris on lessons learned - “I should have had me some of them tumblers.”

Comment by Irish Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:40 pm
Sooner or later, another elected official trips up. Be ready to step in and take advantage of their downfall for your personal gain.

Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:40 pm
He had a pretty long dry spell on getting elected.

However, he could teach:

“How to ‘borrow’ $1.2 million in campaign cash and never pay it back.”

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 1:47 pm
Fly under the radar and cuttle up to a sleaze ball like Blago. And learn how to dance thru a harp.

Comment by mokenavince Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 2:12 pm
Depending on who you are pandering to, either be from downstate or Chicago

Comment by Reggaeman Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 2:31 pm
* How to block a competent Democrat from being nominated for governor by splitting the vote and letting Blago sneak in.
* How run not as the African-American candidate, but as a candidate who happens to be African-American.
* How to become the first African-American elected statewide.

Comment by reformer Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 2:39 pm
Timing is everything. Sometimes it pays to be the least objectionable of many poor choices.

Comment by Stones Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 2:57 pm
Roland Burris : lesson 1 : begin with the end in mind. Buy your mausoleum - outfit it in the finest Italian granite - buy extra slabs in case your milestones run over.

Lesson 2: dismiss all dignity aka ain’t too proud to beg.

Lesson 3: when in doubt, grovel and learn a jig or two.

Comment by Statesman Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 3:04 pm
Hold a seminar on politics and get people to pay to attend. Then tell attendees, they need to come to the second, third, fourth, etc. sessions to learn the real scoop. Discount to attendees for future seminars, when bringing a new person to the next seminar. No need to attend them in order.
Advisable to have books, DVD’s, CD’s and other merchandise for sale and encourage attendees to buy, buy, and buy. All proceeds will go to the Roland Burris Foundation.

Comment by Downstater Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 3:12 pm
Speak softly and build an enormous crypt.

Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 3:22 pm
Mr. Senator, build up this tomb?

Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 3:23 pm
I have not yet begun to dig my grave.

Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 3:24 pm
Ich bin ein Totengräber.

Comment by Boone Logan Square Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 3:25 pm
Shameless self promotion in the defence of personal gain is not a vice.

Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 3:48 pm
Always leave room for “one more”….The grave always stays the same size

Know your US Senate Rules, they’re your friends.

“Patsy” is never a bad word if you get to be called “Senator”

Stay away from the “Caption Contests”

Get slated, hide, then get sworn-in. Easy as Pie.

“Let the GOP self-destruct. Trust me, it will happen”

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 4:19 pm
talk like Yoda

Comment by MC Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 4:22 pm
Spoiler alert!

Comment by Angry Chicagoan Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 5:30 pm